Best way to setup compressor and effects unit to desk.

[Jack]

Hi
Basiaclly have a soundcraft F1 link : http://www.soundcraft.com/product_sheet.asp?product_id=85

At the moment the compressor is connected via the aux sends 1 and 2. Can't see any aux returns so have been coming back on phono channel 1 and 2, but then i lose two channels and i can't afford to. I want to be able to apply the send to which ever channel i want, which i can do at the moment just i lose 2 channels to the compressor which i come back to the desk with.
What desk will set up like reason so you can apply effects to any chosen channel on the aux send without losing a channel to come back in. (reason has sends and returns, twist aux wets channel signal.)
Was thinking about getting multi effects unit to but can't afford to lose more channels.
Or am i just setting the soundcraft up wrong??
Will a mackie vlz 1402 be better??
Or patchbay??

Cheers and take care

[DJZeMig_L]

Like U said it has no returns...

Why not use the inserts!? The only nag is that u can't compress 2 channels at the same time (well actually if it is a stereo comp. u can probably use each channel seperatly...).

Z

[Jack]

Could use insert but have not tried yet. But i can only compress 2 seperate channels like that (I think) Channel 1 and channel2 from compressor inserted into whatever 2 channels on desk.
At the moment i can send any channel to compressor and any amout as long as they have the same compression settings. This is how i want it but don't want to come back on a channel as don't have enough.
Will the mackie 1402 send and return on the same channel as it has aux sends and returns?

Thanks for help and take care

Jack

[DJZeMig_L]

well mate some mixer alow u 2 use the 2 track in and have a vol pot for controling the level...

If u had groups on yer mixer u could use they're inserts...

Z

[Jack]

Does anyone know if the mackie vlz series mixing desks will let you send and return on the same mixer channel?

Thanks

Jack

[mux]

Does anyone know if the mackie vlz series mixing desks will let you send and return on the same mixer channel?

Mackie mixers - at least the CR-1604 - have six dedicated aux sends and four dedicated aux returns. This is a problem I'm currently butting my head against - I'd like to, say, compress all my drums together and bring them all back into a pair of channels. I can't do that with the CR-1604.

Now - you know that a compressor is a *transformative* effect, not an *additive* effect, right? And as such should be used on the whole signal, not on an aux send?

(if not, here's what I mean - if this is totally stuff you already knew, I apologize) - An additive effect is one like distortion or reverb or delay - something that takes the original signal and adds the effect to it. A transformative effect is one like compression or EQ - something that changes the original signal. Bus inserts are for transformative effects, because when you use a bus insert, you're changing the whole signal - aux sends are meant to mix the effect INTO the original signal.

It sounds to me like what you need to do is get a wider mixer, then use your aux sends to group the channels you want into the two extra channels (aux 1 => phono 1, aux 2 => phono 2), then use your compressor on the channel inserts for phono 1 and phono 2 (assuming there are bus inserts for those channels). This also assumes that you can mute a channel while still allowing the signal to be passed out the aux sends...

[DJZeMig_L]

Hey Mux, If u had inserts on the groups U could basically do what U need!

The aux send can b used basically almost like the inserts (only they don't came back on the same channel and are the first stages of the mixer's internal route) just turn'em into pre-fade aux! The send level will regulate the balance between all the signals u wanna compress 2gether!

Z

[mux]

Hey Mux, If u had inserts on the groups U could basically do what U need!

The aux send can b used basically almost like the inserts (only they don't came back on the same channel and are the first stages of the mixer's internal route) just turn'em into pre-fade aux! The send level will regulate the balance between all the signals u wanna compress 2gether!

Yo Ze (hey, is that your real name? Makes me think of "Ze Pequin / L'il Ze" from "City of God"... :)

Yeah - this is basically why I'm shopping for a new mixer - the CR-1604 Aux sends are NOT switchable between pre/post fader, and there are only channel insert jacks for channels 1-8... :( Great mixer, but I think I've officially outgrown it... all of the newer Mackies do the things I want, but this is the original 1604, the one from 1988... :(

[DJZeMig_L]

My name is José, Zé is short for José...

The Filme u r talking about the guy's nick name is Zé Pequeno (small Ze)... but has the Brasilian speak a slightly different accent, and this like yer cockney accent sounds like it's pronounced Zé PIqueno! ;)

Yeah I'm from the butt of Europe... Lisbon, portugal eheheh :( So I speak that strange language that sounds like rushian.. Portuguese! lol


Does it have some direct outs... I've heard of people using they're headphones outs for compressors then bringing it in on a "normal channel"...

Z

[mux]

My name is José, Zé is short for José...

The Filme u r talking about the guy's nick name is Zé Pequeno (small Ze)... but has the Brasilian speak a slightly different accent, and this like yer cockney accent sounds like it's pronounced Zé PIqueno! ;)

Yeah I'm from the butt of Europe... Lisbon, portugal eheheh :( So I speak that strange language that sounds like rushian.. Portuguese! lol

Damn, I knew I was spelling that wrong. :)

Nice! I actually don't have anything close to a cockney accent; I'm from Vancouver, Canada - I speak English and French, Spanish (from living in Central America for two years), and a tiny bit of Japanese... Portuguese is a little rough because of your accents, but because of French and Spanish, if you speak slowly I can usually understand you. :)


Does it have some direct outs... I've heard of people using they're headphones outs for compressors then bringing it in on a "normal channel"...

Unfortunately, with the CR-1604, there's only the channel inserts on the first eight channels, and their idea of a direct out is to insert a mono 1/4" jack until the "first click" on the insert jacks... I can get a direct out, OR an insert, but not both - and still only for half of my mixer! Yeah, it's time to upgrade... thinking hard about one of those sweeeeeeet looking Mackie Onyx 1640's... tho they're *17* rack units tall with the pod rotated to the front!!!! :shock:

[Jack]

Mux wrote
Now - you know that a compressor is a *transformative* effect, not an *additive* effect, right? And as such should be used on the whole signal, not on an aux send? Yep i know about using a compressor on the whole signal but i have also been using on kick and sometimes bass before the overall compression. Do you just use on overall then?
But was also thinking about the future and how is best to wire more effects units (Delay, reverb etc)
I think a bigger desk is needed, or one which sends and returns on same channel so can use whatever effect on whatever channel without sending to another channel (by using aux 1,2,etc) Anyone got any more ideas of suitable desks?? (if you can understand what im trying to say that is, is confusing me explaining it)

Cheers for advise and take care

[DJZeMig_L]

ahahah Mux the multi-talent man! ;)


Z